Mounting for machine guns or small cannon for airplanes



April 3, 1945. J. MARTIN 2,372,728

MOUNTING FOR MACHINE GUNS OR SMALL CANNON FOR AIRPLANES Filed NOV'. 19, 1941 6 SheelZS--Sheefl l pyr 3, i945. .1. MARTIN 2,372,728

MOUNTING FOR MACHINE GUNS OR SMALL CANNON FOR AIRPLANES -`Filed NOV. 19, 1941 6 SheebS-Sheet 2 PY 3, 1945. J. MARTIN 2,372,728

MOUNTING FOR MACHINE GUNS OR SMALL CANNON FOR AIRPLANES Filed Nov. 19, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Arran/.frs

April 3, 1945. J. MARTIN 2,372,728

MOUNTING FOR MACHINE GUNS OR SMALL CANNON FOR AIRPLANES Filed Nov. 19, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Apfi 3, 1945. J. MARTIN 2,372,728

MOUNTING FOR MACHINE GUNS OR SMALL CANNON FOR AJRPLNES Filed Nov. 19, 1941v 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 AWE/vra? JAMES MA .QT/N.

5K Wi Arret/V575 April 3, 1945. J. MARTIN 2,372,728

MOUNTING FOR MACHINE GUNS OR SMALL CANNON FOR AIRPLANES Filed Nov. 19, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 3, 1945 l MOUNTING FOR, MACHINE GUNS R SMALL CANNON FOB AIRPLANES .iames Martin, Higher Denham, near Uxbridge, England Application November 19, 1941, Serial No. 419,746 In Great Britain March 25, 1941 (Cl. 85E-37.5)

Claims.

This invention relates to the mounting of multiple machine guns or small cannon in a. concentrated battery or group for the purpose of obtaining a fire power of greater concentration and field than hitherto has been obtained by unit or group mountings. The mounting of guns in sets of four in the wings of airplanes has proved highly eiective, but the normal dimensions and strength of wings render it diflicult to exceed this number if speed and other essential factor are not to be sacrificed. The present invention primarily contemplates the provision of a gun mounting, or a method of mounting guns, in which a large number of guns, e. g. twelve, can be assembled in a compact group in a fuselage without extraneous litments liable to undersirably affect the streamline continuity of rthe fuselage or its normal configuration. 'I'he invention is particularly use-ful with airplanes having engines in the wings, or in nacelles spaced from the fuselage, as the most suitable disposition of the mounting is in the nose of the fuselage free from any interference with the engines and vice versa. However, it is possible that with some forms of airplanes special nacelles not containing engines can be provided on the wings or elsewhere to take the present contemplated form of multiple gun mounting provided the configuration of the special nacelles affords a clean external streamline configuration equivalent to that which would normally be attempted with the nose of a fuselage or an engine nacelles, and such adaptations are to be regarded as included in the scope of the present invention, the chief object of which is to provide a mounting which will enable the maximum of guns to be mounted within the minimum space with ease of accessibility whilst embodying a framework which will fit neatly in a fuselage nose or its equivalent and may, if desired, be adapted to serve as part of the fuselage or like framework. Another ob ject of this invention is to provide a mounting for a compact assembly of a large number of guns which can be fitted to an airplane as a unit.

vThe invention in its most suitable form is adapted to a twin engine airplane intended for night fighting, the gun mounting being in the nose of the fuselage and carrying a large number of guns, e. g. twelve, so as to have a very destructive lire power. An embodiment appropriate for such adaptation comprises fore and aft frames and an intermediate frame braced by transverse frame elements and connected by lonlitudinal frame elements acting as gun carrying arms arranged in superposition and staggered to alford a grouping of guns which leaves each gun and its ammunition box individually accessible whilst providing a zone of fire which could be spread over a considerable field or could be closely concentrated. The interconnected frames are suspended as a unit to a fuselage or other structure and a bulkhead may be provided behind the rear frame, the front frame carrying a supporting means for a nose cowl for enclosing the frames and the machine guns. 'I'he three frames are of inverted V configuration joined at their apices to strut or suspension members and stiiened by transverse brace members bridging the ends of the gun carrying arms, Lateral brackets are carried by the gun arms for the attachment thereto of the guns and ammunition boxes, the preferred arrangement being a completely un1- lateral disposition of each gun and its ammunition box in relation to its appropriate gun arm.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect drawings are appended hereto illustrating an embodiment thereof as applied to a twelve gun mounting for the nose of a fuselage, and wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation View of a fuselage nose with a side panel removed showing the gun mounting therein.

Fig. 2 isa plan view of Fig. l with a top panel removed.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of Fig. l showing the arrangement of the gun blast tube openings in the fuselage nose.

Fig. 4 is a section of the mounting on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the mounting, and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are sectional Views showing front, intermediate and rear main sections respectively of the mounting, the sections being taken on the lines 6 5, 1 7, and 8 8 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings the mounting .is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 arranged within the nose cowl l of a fuselage, and the nose cowl itself has twelve apertures 2 (see Fig. 3) receiving the front ends of blast tubes 3 of twelve machine guns ll, the blast tubes being arranged to prevent the ingress of air through the apertures in the nose cowl and also to exclude the gases escaping from the muzzles of. the gun barrels from the interior of the cowl enclosing the gun mounting. The fuselage is provided with removable side panels 5 and top and bottom panels f5 which may also be removable for convenience of access to the guns d and their ammunition boxes l.

The mounting for the guns is a framework of assembled metal tubes, and embodies a frontframe section 3 (see Fig. 6), an intermediate frame section El see Fig. '7) and a rear frame section #il (see 8), these frame sections being of substantially inverted V shape and being interconnected partly by longitudinal tubular frame members I i forming ten of the twelve gun carrying arms. Where these gun arms l I join these frame sections, transverse tubular struts i2 are welded across the side limbs of each of the frame sections 5l, ii and lil, and the two remaining gun arms are also longitudinal tubular members Ha, (see Figs. 6 and '7) and Hb (see Figs. '7 and 8), the tubular member I la beingr welded across the lower of the struts l2 of the front frame section 8 and the lower but one strut i2 of the intermediate frame section 9, and the rear gun arm I ib being welded across the lower transverse struts l?. of the intermediate frame section 9 and the rear frame section IQ. The gun arms Ha, and I l b are slightly offset in opposite directionsifrom the vertical centre line of the assembly of frame sections, this oisetting being more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 7.

The inverted V shaped frame sections B, 9 and I together with their gun carrying arms form an assembly which is suspended from the front end of the fuselage or like frame. the chief zone of support being at the rear of the assembly for which purpose a cross member i3 (see Fig. 8) welded midway between its ends to the apex of the rear frame section iii, and this cross member combines with a pair or symmetrical outwardly inclined lower extensions I lic of the frame lll. and two pairs of converging intermediate *outrigger or side struts i!! (see Fig. 8) to aord Vsix points of attachments through the bulkhead to suitable xed front end parts of the fuselage. These six points of attachment are lugs |311 at the ends of the cross member I3, lugs ith at the free ends of the integralextensions Illa. andbosses Ma at the outer ends of the side struts I4, each boss Ma being formed on one of the appropriate pair of struts Ui and the Vother strut of each pair being formed with a lug I 4b (see Figs. 5 and 8) abutting against the appropriate boss. Bolt holes are formed in these various bosses and lugs for attachment to the six predetermined points of the fuselage or bulkhead, it being understood that bolts are passed through these bosses and lugs and the bulkhead or other rigid frame element or section located across the front end of the main fuselage frame, the bulkhead being indicated by the broken lines E@ and the bolts by the reference numeral I in Fig. 5.

To rmlylocate the intermediate frame and take the weight of the guns on `the arms II and lib spanning this frame and the rear frame lil a pair of lower struts i5 extend from the lower ends of the side limbs of the frame 9 and are connected to the lower ends of the extensions Ita of the rear frame, whilst a longitudinal upper tension tube it is secured across the apices o the intermediate and rear frames. Additional bracing or stiiening of the gun carrying arms I i is obtained by connecting tie rods il diagonally across the apex of the rear frame and the lower extremities of the intermediate frame, and tie rods I8 across the apex of the intermediate frame B and the lower extremities of the front frame 8. These tie rods Il' and i3 are formed with lugs Ila and Illa at their ends by which they are bolted or riveted to lugs lila (see Fig. 5) on collars i9 brazed on to the appropriate gun arms I I and to webs a iixed across collars 2i] brazed or welded to the frames 8, B and I0, and to the lowest gun arms I I of the fore and aft set thereof. The front frame 8 is braced and the weight of the guns on the front set of arms II and l la is also taken by a lower pair of inclined struts 2| welded at their rear ends to the lower extremities of the intermediate frame and at their front ends to the lower extremities of the front frame, an upper tension tube 22 welded across the apices of the frames 8 and 9, and the appropriate collars 20 embrace these members 2! and 22. Additional stiiening of the front frame 8 is obtained by a longitudinal strut 23 welded across its apex and the centre of the uppermost transverse strut I2 of the intermediate frame 9. The tubes 22 and 23 intersect at their junction with the frame 8 as seen in Figs. l and 5.

The front frame B is adapted to support the nose cowl, which cowl as already indicated receives the front ends of the blast tubes 3 of the machine guns, and consequently the nose cowl requires to be rmly supported in relation to the gun carrying framework. The cowl ring 24 is firmly located in relation to the front frame by bolts passed through bosses 25 formed one on the upper end of an integral short vertical Vtubular arm 2S at the apex of the frame 8, and four others at the extermities of laterally extending arms 2l and 2t (see Fig. 6) formed in prolongation or" the upper' and lower transverse struts I2 respectively o the front frame 8. The peak of the nose cowl is secured by a stud to a short longitudinal axis centre tube 39 (Fig. 5) `compris-- ing the apex and common junction member ci a substantially pyramid-like supporting structure comprising upper and lower struts 3I and 32 respectively extending from the apex of the frame section 8 and the centre of the lower transverse strut I2 of such frame section, and also two outer and two inner converging stay rods 33 and 33a respectively (see Figs. 5 and 6) united to the upper cross members 2T and I2 of the frame sec tion S. The outer ends of the centre vertical arm 2t and the lateral arms 2".' are braced by diagonal stays 34 (see Fig. 6).

Additional external bracingl of the intermediate frame section El is provided by a pair of horizontal tie rods 35 (see Figs. 4 and 5) connected at their rear ends to the ends of the cross member i3 at the top of the rear frame and welded at their front ends. to a short transverse tube 36 at the apex of the intermediate frame 8. These tie rods 35 and also the lower pair of struts I5 are connected at their rear ends to the rear frame I0 by means of bifurcated lugs 3'I and 38 respectively engaged over lugs 39 and 4U (see Figs. 5 and 8) projecting from collars lab and Ic' respectively at the ends of the cross member I3 and the depending extensions Illa of the rear frame Hl. The lower collars |00 are also formed with inwardly directed lugs 4I (see Fig. 8) to which are likewise bolted the outer ends of a pair of struts 2 converging towards and welded to the centre of the lowest strut i2 of the rear fra-me section Il). This aioi'ds adequate bracing of the Vsaid lower extensions lila of the rear frame.

The object of using the collars I3b and Ic and therbolting thereto of the appropriate struts and tie rods is to provide a means of ensuring accurate alignment of the lugs and bosses I3a, ma and lllb with the (zo-operating lugs or other members on the bulkhead and equivalent fuselage or like frame members, so that the gun carrying frame can be firmly-and expeditiously secured in position. The collars arel first located loosely in the appropriate frame members, the collars and parts of the frame members which receive them being machined to obtain a fit which will enable fine adjustments to be made. The frame is set up on a jig and the lugs and bosses i3d, Ma and |012 are correctly positioned by dowels or bolts on the jig. The collars are then pinned and subsequently brazed to the appropriate parts of the frame section I D. The lugs |3a, lia and ib will thus be accurately located to ensure alignment with corresponding anchorage points on the fuselage or like structure thus ensuring interchangeability of the units and easy fitting` to the airplane. A

Additional stiffening of the frame sections 8, 9 and I can be elected by brazing diagonal stays 43 across the side limbs of the frames and ends of the cross struts I2.

The gun carrying frame has a configuration which will nest closely within the nose of a fuselage or nacelle, whilst at the same time the triangulated front and side aspects of the frame affords adequate bracing for bending, tensile and compression strains in all necessary dimensions and enables the large number of guns to be carried. in a compact space, the resultant substantially pyramid configuration being particularly advantageous for the support of the nose cowl. Also, it is apparent that if desired the co-mplete frame can be treated as a unit ready for expeditious tting to a fuselage or like frame.

Each of the gun carrying arms l l, lla and l lh is provided with brackets i4 to support the guns and brackets 45 for their ammunition boxes. the means for mounting the guns being provided with adjustments for setting the guns individually for direction and elevation so that a suitable distribution-or pattern of nre may be obtained. The ring of the guns is controlled by a pneumatic or electric control unit indicated in Fig. l by the reference numeral 66.

The most compact arrangement is obtained by locating each ammunition box alongside and parallel with its gun and providing a curved guide 'la (Fig. 2) through which the cartridges pass from the ammunition box to the gun breach. The disposition of the gun ,arms also provides a symmetrical arrangement of two sets of five guns see Figs. 3 and 4) and two intermediate guns, which affords a zone of lire which will effectively cover a large area of target and also will enable the discharge of the bullets to be distributed substantially evenly over the eld of nre.

It is to be understood that the gun mounting of the present invention can be mounted on the nose end of the main fuselage of an airplane or in the nose of a nacelle built into a wing and that the expression fuselage used in the following claims contemplates a body part of anairplane shaped as a fuselage or as a nacelle additional to a fuselage."

The peak of the nose cowl can be provided with a centre stud 8b engaged in the centre tube Sil and secured :by a nut 8c, and screws 8d can be threaded through the rear end of this cowl into the ring 24.

I claim:

l. A mounting for a multiplicity of guns or small cannon for airplanes and adapted to be supported at a rear end from a rigid suitable front part of a fuselage to aord an overhung forwardly directed framework comprising a number of longitudinally spaced substantially triangular frames arranged in planes perpendicular to the predetermined direction of lire, means on the rearmost frame to affix the mounting to said fuselage and means on the front frame to support a nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns fire.

2. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon for airplanes comprising rear, front and intermediate frames, a nose cowl supported by the front frame and having a plurality of lire apertures therein spaced vertically and laterallyy a corresponding number of gun supporting arms secured in fore and aft directions to and connecting said frames and adapted to support a corresponding number or". guns with their barrels in alignment with said apertures, and means for securing the rear frame to the structure of a fuselage.

3. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so that the guns re through such nose end, comprising front. rear and intermediate substantially triangular frames arranged in spaced relationship in substantially parallel planes, endwise disposed gun supporting arms fixed to and connecting said frames substantially perpendicularly in relation to the planes of said frames, a forwardly extending support fixed to the front frame for a nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns fre. and means adapted tc secure the rear frame to the structure of the fuselage of an airplane.

4. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so that the guns re through such nose end, comprising front, rear and intermediate substantially triangular frames, the front frame being of smaller dimensions than the rear frame, forwardly convergingstruts connecting the front frame to the intermediate frame, and fore and aft extending struts connecting the intermediate and rear frames, a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal gun supporting arms fixed to and extending between said frames, means on the front frame to support a fuselage nose cowl in front of, or containing the front end of the gun barrels, means on the rear frame to affixy it ,to a fuselage or nacelle Iframe structure, and diagonal bracing members secured across the said frames.

5. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so that the guns fire through such nose end, comprising front, rear and intermediate inverted V shaped frames connected together in spaced relationship to form a unitary assembly adapted to be suspended from the front end of a fuselage frame. longitudinal gun supporting arms interconnecting the frames and arranged in tiers, transverse struts fixed across the side members of said frames. a cross frame member Xed midway between its ends to the apex of the rear frame, and outrigger strut members united to the side members oi the rear frame, means at the ends of 'the cross frame member and means carried by said Outrigger strut members to readily aflx the rear frame to the fuselage frame, a substantially pyramid like supporting structure projecting forwardly from and carried by the front frame to support the nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns nre'. struts connecting the frames to each other at their lower ends, and tension members secure-d across the apices of the frames.

6. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so that the guns fire through such nose end, comprising front, rear and intermediate inverted V shaped frames connected together in spaced relationship to form a unitary assembly adapted to be suspended from the iront end of a fuselage frame, longitudinal gun supporting arms interconnecting the frames and arranged in tiers, transverse struts fixed across the side members of said frame, a cross fra-Ine member fixed midway between its ends to the apex oi the rear frame, and Outrigger strut members united to the side members of the rear frame, means at the ends of the cross frame member and means carried by said outrigger strut members to readily affix the rear frame to the fuselage framea series of forwardly converging upper and lower struts extending from the front frame, an apex member forming the junctionr of said converging struts adapted to form an anchorage for the peak of a nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns lire, struts connecting the frames to each other at their lower ends, and tension members secured across the apices of the frames.

7, A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so that the guns re through such nose end. comprising riront, rear and intermediate inverted V shaped frames connected together in spaced relationship to form a unitary assembly adapted to be suspended from the front end of a fuselage frame, longitudinal gun supporting arms interconnecting the frames and arranged in tiers, transverse strfuts fixed across the side members of said frames` a cross frame member xed midway between its ends to the apex of the rear frame, and outrigger strut members united to the side members of the rear frame, means at the ends of the cross frame member and. means carried by said Outrigger strut members to readily aiix the rear frame to the fuselage frame, a series of forwardly converging upper and lower struts extending from the front frame an apex member forming the junction of said converging struts, a nose cowl through which the guns fire secured at its peak to said apex member, a mounting ring at the rear of the nose cowl secured to the front frame, the nose cowl having a number of gun nre apertures spaced vertically and laterally therein and located to align with the barrels of the guns mounted on the gun supporting arms, struts connecting the frames to each other at their lower ends, and tension members secured across the apices of the frames.

8. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane and to form an overhung framework in prolongation of the fuselage frame, comprising rear, front and intermediate frames, a nose cowl of the fuselage supported by the front frame and having a plurality f lire apertures therein spaced vertically and laterally, a corresponding number of gun support ing arms secured in fore and aft directions to and connecting said frames and adapted to support a corresponding number of guns with their barrels in alignment with said apertures, means for securing the rear frame to the structure of a fuselage, fore and aft gun supports xed to each of the gun carrying arms adapted to secure a gun to each arm and means with said supports to adjust each gun for direction and elevation, guns mounted in said supports, and blast tubes enclosing the gun barrels and extending to said gun fire apertures.

9. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane and to form an overhung framework in prolongation oi the fuselage frame, comprising a substantially triangular rear frame, laterally extending anchorage members aiiixed to the upper and lower parts of said frame, a series of lugs carried by said anchorage members by which the frame can be ailixed to the structure of a fuselage, a front frame of triangulated form, supporting means carried by this frame for the peak yof the nose end of the fuselage, a series of substantially parallel gun carrying arms supported between the front and' rear frames and arranged so that the guns carried thereby will fire through said peak end of the fuselage, and bracing ties and struts to maintain the structure rigid.

l0. A mounting for a multiplicity oi; machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so'that the'guns ire through such nose end, comprising rear. front and intermediate frames, frame elements con necting said frames in spaced relationship as a unitary assembly, the front frame being adapted to support a nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns fire, and the rear frame being adapted to be supported by the structure of the fuselage, a series of gun supporting arms fixed to'said frames, and extending in tiers between the rear frame and intermediate frame and also in separate tiers between the intermediate frame and front frame. the latter tiers being arranged in staggered relationship with the arms the rear tiers.

ll. A set of parts for a mounting for machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of a fuselage of an airplane comprising fore and aft triangular frames, bracing ties and struts secured to and connecting said frames to form a unitary rigid assembly, a plurality of gun supporting arms xed to and connecting the fore and aft frames, relatively fixed framework extending forwardly from the front frame, a fuselage nose cowl adapted to be secured to the front end of said framework, a plurality of gun ilre apertures in said nose cowl, means on the rear frame for aixing the assembly of frames to the structure of a fuselage, an outer casing adapted to lie in streamline continuity with the said nose cowl and to enclose the frames and inspection panels included as part of said casing adapted to aiord access to the gun mounting.

l2. In an airplane a unitary assembly of frames occupying the nose end of the fuselage and adapted to support a quantity of guns and comprising fore and aft frames and an intermediate frame, transverse struts bracing said frame, longitudinal gun carrying arms connected across said frames and transverse struts and arranged in superposed sets and staggered to afford a grouping guns having a vertical and lateral spread of re, means suspending the assembly of frames .from the fuselage, a bulkhead immediately behind the rear frame, a fuselage nose cowl, supporting means for said nose cowl on the front frame, a plurality of nre apertures in said nose cowl distributed'laterally and verframes to enclose the guns, at least some of said panels being detachable for inspection and for access to the guns.

13. A mounting for a multiplicity of machine guns or small cannon adapted to occupy the nose end of the fuselage of an airplane so that the guns fire through such nose end, comprising an inverted V shaped tubular rear frame, laterally extending members on this rear frame supporting lugs by which the mounting may be secured to the front end of the fuselage main frame, an inverted V shaped tubular front frame, forwardly extending supports secured to the front frame, a nose cowl for the leading end of the fuselage having gun fire apertures therein fixed to the forwardly extending supports near its apex, a ring secured to the front frame and adapted to support the rear edge of the nose cowl, an intermediate inverted V shaped tubular frame, a series of tubular struts and ties connecting the said frames, a series of tiers of gun supporting arms connected at their ends to the rear and intermediate frames, a series of tiers of gun carrying arms connected at their ends to the intermediate and front frames, the second series of tiers being arranged at heights intermediate between the first series of tiers, laterally extending brackets on each gun supporting arm, adapted to carry a gun and its ammunition box in a position substantially parallel to the said gun supporting arm.

14. A mounting for a multiplicity of guns or' small cannon for airplanes and adapted to occupy the nose of a fuselage and to form a frame in prolongation with and suspended from the front end of the fuselage frame with its front or free end in a nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns re, comprising front, rear and intermediate substantially triangular frames arranged in planes perpendicular to the predetermined direction of fire, longitudinal frame elements connecting said frames in spaced relationship as a rigid assembly, means on the said rear substantially triangular frame to fasten it for support to a rigid part of the fuselage, a support for said nose cowl projecting forwardly beyond the said front substantially triangular frame, and

gun supporting means on the said longitudinal frame elements.

15. A mounting for a multiplicity of guns or small cannon for airplanes and adapted to occupy the nose of a fuselage and to form a frame in prolongation with and suspended from the front end of the fuselage frame with'its front or free end in a nose cowl of the fuselage through which the guns fire, comprising front, rear and intermediate substantially triangular frames arranged in planes perpendicular to the predetermined direction of re, longitudinal frame elements connecting said frames in spaced relationship as a rigid assembly, means on the said rear substantially triangular frame to fasten it for support to a rigid part of the fuselage, a number of forwardly converging frame elements united at their rear ends tasa-id front frame and at their front ends to a member adapted to support the peak of the said nose cowl, and gun supporting means on said longitudinal frame elements.

JAMES MARTIN. 

